A Warm Winter's Day
by MrsSparrowDarcy
Summary: Short and sweet oneshot from Severus' perspective.


**I'm not really planning on going anywhere with this (going to stay a oneshot), but it was desperately begging to be written. I just wanted Snape's point of view for once, and not just moping cruelty or whatever the stereotypical Severus Snape persona is usually written as. Just a day in the life of a teenager in love. So here it is! Enjoy :)**

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Severus Snape watched in cool contempt as a scruffy-haired wizard fell into stride with Lilly Evans; never mind that Lilly had been walking towards Severus, the boy clearly knew no limits to his audacity. James Potter had been just another pompous Gryffindor prig before he had taken an interest in Lilly; but now he was much more than that, now he was an enemy. James' eyes met his own, and the easy smile that had hung around them had dropped into a glare to almost match his own. Almost.

The sun-dappled grass rushed up to meet him and he was on the ground before he realized that Sirius Black's foot was responsible for the new scrapes on his hands. Black laughed like the manic he was, and even Potter could hardly hold back the wolfish grin on his face. Lilly growled something angrily at Black before rushing to help him up. Her brilliant green eyes caught the sun as she stood before him, and though he wanted nothing more than to feel the touch of her hands in his own, he brushed them aside angrily as he stood pushed himself off of the ground. He made no attempt to retaliate in front of Lily, because he knew that not only was he outnumbered, but that Lily would quickly turn her anger towards him if he did. Besides, he thought sullenly, he would pay them back soon enough. "How _dare_ you!" Lilly shrieked, turning back to the long-haired wizard behind him.

Black was leaning casually against a tree, with his hands innocently stuffed in his pockets. "It's not my fault he wasn't watching where he was going," he shrugged.

"Lilly, it was an accident. I'm sure Sirius didn't mean it," Potter interjected with a dashing smile, "let's all ride the carriages together to Hogsmeade! All the drinks are on Sirius today!" Black shot Potter a wary look, and Lilly turned incredulously towards him. Severus knew that the sudden camaraderie was only a charade, and luckily for him Lily knew that as well. What the otherwise brilliant witch didn't seem to know, was that Potter would easily use Severus' natural introversion against him, and simply crowd him out, effectively gaining the attention he so desired from Lily.

"James," she answered politely, "I thank you for the invitation, but Severus and I aren't going to Hogsmeade today. Let's go Severus." With that she turned to walk back into Hogwarts castle with him on tow. Potter looked crestfallen, and Black looked disgusted as she quickly took Severus' arm and led him towards the castle.

"You didn't have to skip Hogsmeade just for me," Severus said quietly as they walked.

"You know I'd never let you spend your birthday alone Severus! And I know how little you enjoy Hogsmeade's weekends…" Severus shot the Gryffindor girl a guilty look as she stared wistfully in the direction of the quaint little town. It wasn't that he disliked Hogsmeade; it was just that weekends were the only times he really got to see Lilly anymore, and the throngs of overeager students filling the muddy streets were just another distraction from her company.

Their march towards the castle was halted by someone calling out Lily's name. Lily spun quickly around, her bronze hair nearly catching him in the face, to face Remus Lupin. The boy did not participate in his friends' torment of Severus, but there was something about those pale eyes and over-red lips that unsettled him. "Severus," Lupin acknowledged with a civil nod before turning back to the witch beside him, " Lily, you lent me your notes last Friday, and I didn't have a chance to return them until now."

Lily beamed at the boy and waved away his apologies. "No need to rush yourself Remus! How's that fever doing? You're feeling better I hope?" she asked with genuine concern in her jade eyes. That was the other odd thing about Lupin, despite looking as healthy as a horse (discounting his generally messy apparel and the nearly-permanent bags under his eyes) the boy was constantly taking ill. Severus had only met Lupin that year through Lily, but he could have sworn that he'd just recovered from a similar illness a fortnight ago. Lily however, took no notice of the boy's oddities, and took it upon herself to supply him with an endless stream of notes whenever he needed them. This, Severus thought as the three continued on their way to the castle, was generous for someone who associated with Potter and Black. Lupin eventually left them to return to Gryffindor tower before heading off to Hogsmeade like everyone else, and finally he and Lily were alone once more.

The old castle had been around for centuries, and nearly each successive headmaster had added something to it. Severus had been a second year when he'd stumbled across the magical room on the third floor. The room was full of endless possibilities, though Severus usually used it as a quiet place to read; he and Lily often met there to spend time by themselves where they wouldn't be judged for their friendship. Today was special however, and Lily had made sure to decorate the room with deep green hues in accordance with Severus' tastes. In the middle of the room was a large table with a homemade cake which was charmed to show a sloppy animation of him trying to blow out a set of fifteen real candles that flickered halfheartedly with each try. Severus cracked his first smile of the day, and chuckled lightly as Lily actually began to sing the birthday song to him.

"Lily, you're spoiling me- you know that?" He said playfully, "what will your Gryffindor friends think?"

Lily looked back at him with a mischievous glint in her dark green eyes as she swallowed a piece of chocolate cake, "who cares what they think?"


End file.
